Phoenecia

Incredibly high quality ingredients. Better than a lot even more expensive restaurants. The food look way much better than the yelp pictures also. I'm so happy I gave it a try. It is not close to my home, but it still attract me always want to go. Now I went there 6 times already.

The 39 spice beef had a very sophisticated mixture of flavors which made it a unique taste for me, very different and definitely recommended. The squash pizza was also very different and tasty. I tried the trio dessert, ice cream + baklava + tiramisu. The tiramisu was not special at all, but the other two were really good. This place is by the water and has great view. The have very good choice of background music and good lighting.

We wanted to find a romantic place for a special occasion and we found Phoenecia.  On Valentine's Day no less. We hadn't made a reservation because we were short on funds and hadn't planned to go out. But the mail brought an unexpected payment from a client.  Off we went.  As we drove down Alki, a car pulled out of a space right in front of Phoenecia.  It was almost 5:00 and I thought they've got to be fully booked even for the early seating.  They were.  But the owner took pity on us and gave us the table he usually uses.
    We had a choice of ordering tapas in "small plates" (2-3 per person) or the special prix fixe Valentine Dinner. I couldn't resist the prix fixe: 4 courses (savory pastry with herb salad, stuffed black mussels, choice of entree (lamb chops, fish, confit chicken or ravioli) and duo of desserts at $110/couple. It was too good to pass up! Phoenicia sells wine by the glass so we could indulge without blowing the budget.  While  we waited for our appetizer, we were mesmerized by the sight of the sunbeams dancing on the water off of Alki Beach. It was hypnotic. The herb salad arrived, and was so fresh and crisp it was as if it had just been picked. The combination of herbs used added a complex depth to the crunch.  As good as the first course was, it was surpassed by the mussel dish. The mussels were visually beautiful: inky black gems glistening on the plate. The crumbling stuffing was a textural counterpoint to the chewiness of the mussels.  For the main course, my husband selected the lamb chops while I had the fish. The fish turned out to be a tilapia filet steamed in parchment paper with string beans and potatoes. It was firm and flaky and so flavorful the only enhancement it needed was lemon.  And the green beans were deliciously al dente.  The lamb chops were tender and perfectly pink in the center, with not even a hint of gaminess.  Dessert?  Well, how can you go wrong with chocolate?  Especially when you're watching a beautiful sunset on the sound. All in all, the service, the ambiance and the cuisine combined to make it a most romantic evening.